Saturday, August 2, 2008

The Dye Days of Summer

This was a big week for dyeing. First Wednesday with Sharon and Linda Lou. What a nice day to visit and dye all that white fiber. Because there was more visit and less dye on my part I did some more at home on Friday. My first fiber that was dyed at Sharon's is Brown Sheep fiber dyed in braids painted and steamed. I have a picture of algae or fungus that is growing next to "Old Faithful" the colors are beautiful and this is how my interpretation of the color came out. I believe it's more like "Love Bird in the Andie's" so bright and colorful. The algae is more subtle so I even added black to the colors to sadden them. Not so sad!

Another fiber dyed at Sharon's is 8 oz of corriedale X from Ashland Bay. The roving was laid out on plastic wrap and painted or poured on really then wrapped and steamed. After the fiber dries I like to draft it out and braid it to keep the fiber from getting messed up. More 8 oz wheels of corriedale X. I dyed these at home. Both dyed with the same colors the one on the left is cold pour or painted on plastic wrap and the one on the left was done with the hot pour method. Hot pour: put large pot on stove with water and vinegar add fiber heat to 190 degrees pour dye over fiber and keep hot for 10 minutes more let cool. If your looking for a good book about dyeing get "The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook". Even if you never knit a pair of socks this book is a must for dyeing. There is information about mixing colors, different ways to dye the fiber and how to spin your fiber to make the color ways you like to use. I love it and use it to get good ideas on mixing and matching colors.

I did a little silk also. White and honey tussah on the right dyed with the same colors the white is drafted out and the honey colored tussah is just dried and ready to draft.

The picture below is silk. On the right is honey colored dyed with the same colors as the white silk in the middle. I did not like the middle color so took half of the roving and over dyed it in some red dye. ( As Laura would say "If you don't like the color over dye":o) The yellow turned a copper color and the turquoise turned purple with some of the original color under the purple and violet. I like the looks in person better than the picture. It should spin up awesome!

OMG! Your died fibers are INCREDIBLE!!! I'm afraid I've been a bit of a snob about using natural colors (either that, or just plain lazy!) but you have really inspired me! Now, would you please come to my house and teach me how to do that???

Thanks Kathy and Nancy. I love color and the natural colors from my shetlands is first on the list of favorites. I'm a farm girl at heart but have a bit of "bling" in my blood! My Spanish grandfather.No rain just incredable hot this week.

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Desert Peach

About Me

I live out side Reno Nv on 20 acres with my husband 3 dogs 6 cats and my flock of Shetland Sheep. We have a Ma-Pa landscape business I'm the bookkeeper secretary and girl Friday. The best part of the job is that the office is at home. This gives me the opportunity to raise the sheep, farm the land. ;o) and fiber arts but not as much as I'd like.